This is the question many people ask themselves this time of year. I celebrate Christmas but I'll say happy Hanukkah if I know that's what someone celebrates. And for the first time ever, in 2009, the White House called their "Christmas tree" a "holiday tree." But framing that decision as a debate over holiday greetings seems a bit small-time. All it takes is one person to take offense and soon our social streams are exploding with opinions on every side. Politicians will take a stand, bloggers and social influencers will argue back and forth, even brands may pick a side! Happy Holidays, Round 2,016. Merry Christmas vs. hitType: 'event', eventAction: 'view' }); ga('create', 'UA-67136960-15', 'auto', 'ads'); Also, Christmas is my favorite holiday! media-tech companies with hubs around the world. According to a Pew Research Center poll about how customers are greeted by stores, a full 52% of people said they didn't care which greeting they received. And the results were pretty telling. Every year, around this time, the same debate comes to light. For these reasons, Happy Holidays is better than Merry Christmas. This season, I want to greet people the way I want to without being afraid of criticism from others. What about your state specifically? Christmas has almost arrived and while it is time to exchange pleasantries — this year it would be mostly virtual meet-ups and couriered presents due to the coronavirus pandemic. document.querySelector("#adunit").addEventListener('click',function(){ Happy Holidays" debate has been a hot topic for a while now. Interestingly enough, this follows very closely to what some consider to be the �Bible Belt.� So there is likely a religious component at play here. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotOnload', function(event) { Every year, around this time, the same debate comes to light. As you can see, �Happy Holidays� is the most prevalent greeting throughout most of the United States. eventAction: 'click_image_ads' reporters on a platform technologically tailored to meet the needs of the modern reader. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), Shop Colorful Artificial Christmas Trees By, *Shipping outside the contiguous US will incur additional shipping fees, Decorating Ideas for Every Christmas Tree. The remarks and opinions included in this article are by individuals and independent organizations. Home; MTG Salvation Forums; Retired Forums; Retired Forums; Debate; Saying Merry Christmas vs Happy Holidays; Search Search all Forums Search this Forum Search this Thread Tools So, is there a politically correct way to wish someone during this festive season? It is an appropriate and inclusive salutation that recognizes that there are many ways that people are observing the season and you don’t know enough to be specific.”, Actor Whoopi Goldberg in a 2017 HuffPost article had said, “'Happy holidays' allows everybody to be included. Check my small research on why Corporate Holiday Party style is acceptable for both parties. Both happy and merryare terms used to describe a joyous and pleasureful situation. Each December, a new scandal kicks off everyone’s favorite seasonal debate: “Merry Christmas” vs. “Happy Holidays.” It’s not hard to get things churning. Should we greet each other with vague holiday cheer or specific Christmas-related well wishes? Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays is a saying for people who are politically correct. Does it really even matter that much? Some of you may recall that Starbucks was recently criticized for removing "Merry Christmas" from their seasonal cups. } A tweet from Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel reignited the debate of saying 'Merry Christmas' vs. 'Happy Holidays' this season. window.adsContainer = {"positionAfterTitle":{"code":"Article_Mobile_300x250_ATF_Rel"},"position2":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Above_Next_Rel"},"position3":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Below_Next_Rel"},"position4":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle_Rel"},"position5":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle1_Rel"},"position6":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle2_Rel"},"position7":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle3_Rel"},"position8":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle4_Rel"},"position9":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle5_Rel"},"positionSticky":{"code":"Article_Mobile_320x50_ATF_Rel"},"position10":{"code":"Article_Mobile_300x250_Middle10"},"position11":{"code":"Article_Mobile_300x250_Middle11"},"position12":{"code":"Article_Mobile_300x250_Middle12"},"position13":{"code":"Article_Mobile_300x250_Middle13"},"position14":{"code":"Article_Mobile_300x250_Middle14"},"position15":{"code":"Article_Mobile_300x250_Middle15"},"position16":{"code":"Article_Mobile_300x250_Middle16"},"position17":{"code":"Article_Mobile_300x250_Middle17"},"position18":{"code":"Article_Mobile_300x250_Middle18"},"position19":{"code":"Article_Mobile_300x250_Middle19"},"position20":{"code":"Article_Mobile_300x250_Middle20"},"position21":{"code":"Article_Mobile_300x250_Middle21"},"position22":{"code":"Article_Mobile_300x250_Middle22"},"position23":{"code":"Article_Mobile_300x250_Middle23"},"position24":{"code":"Article_Mobile_300x250_Middle24"},"position25":{"code":"Article_Mobile_300x250_Middle25"},"position26":{"code":"Article_Mobile_300x250_Middle26"},"position27":{"code":"Article_Mobile_300x250_Middle27"},"position28":{"code":"Article_Mobile_300x250_Middle28"},"position29":{"code":"Article_Mobile_300x250_Middle29"},"position30":{"code":"Article_Mobile_300x250_Middle30"},"position31":{"code":"Article_Mobile_300x250_Middle31"},"position32":{"code":"Article_Mobile_300x250_Middle32"},"position33":{"code":"Article_Mobile_300x250_Middle33"},"position34":{"code":"Article_Mobile_300x250_Middle34"},"position35":{"code":"Article_Mobile_300x250_Middle35"}} Quote Posted on December 17, 2014 by hissmonster ~ SIGH~ It’s the silly season and I bet, like me, all of you have have been inundated with negative sentiments on social media, in person, or in the mail. When you’re walking past somebody, you don’t know what their religious beliefs are or whether they have them. There is no denying that these two terms are quite similar, and almost identical in nature. eventAction: 'render' window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotRenderEnded', function(event) { Comparatively, the most aggressive �Happy Holiday-ers� live in the following states: All in all, regardless of whether you wish others a �Merry Christmas� or �Happy Holidays� this time of year, the true nature of the season is to be kind to one another and enjoy friends and family. Using geotagged Twitter data, we were able to pinpoint the most common holiday verbiage used across all sections of America. By Taryn Asher Posted December 9, 2020 That is the tragedy of this whole debate on Happy Holidays vs Merry Christmas - many are greeting others based on fear rather than greeting them. With all the anxiety over the correct holiday greeting as led people to forget the spirit of the holiday. document.querySelector("#google_image_div").addEventListener('click',function(){ Notifications can be turned off anytime from browser settings, 'This debate isn’t just about words: it’s about being politically correct and inclusive of diverse beliefs and traditions across the country,' a blog says. Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays? And honestly, if you're getting all upset over the difference then it really doesn't matter. The cup debate is rather dumb, and I am big on abbreviations so I do sometimes use X-mas. }); },false) pg.acq.push(function() { In other words, people really care about holiday greetings. }) if(document.querySelector("#google_image_div")){ gads_event = event; I'd like to thank my opponent for a great debate. Happy Holidays" debate has been a hot topic for a while now. ga('ads.send', { With all of the chaos going on in the world, that energy should be used to unite the already divided church and love the unchurched. Thus it would be polite to just give a more general, Happy Holidays. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), ga('ads.send', { Variations include “happy Christmas” and “merry Xmas” (where the “X” stands in for “Christ”). Should we greet each other with vague holiday cheer or specific Christmas-related well wishes? The End of an Era. However, the debate over whether to wish “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays” seems to have resurfaced again. Happy Holidays vs. Merry Christmas: The Last Thing That Ever Needs To Be Said About It 12/04/2013 04:00 pm ET Updated Feb 03, 2014 Every year at the beginning of December some Americans engage in a ridiculous rhetorical ritual that recycles righteous arguments about whether people should say to one another Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas. The South however seems to be holding on to �Merry Christmas�. }); Christmas has almost arrived and while it is time to exchange pleasantries — this year it would be mostly virtual meet-ups and couriered presents due to the coronavirus pandemic. The data was collected from the entire month of December 2014, and the first 15 days of December 2015. Merry Christmas everyone! Happy holidays includes more religions than Merry Christmas, which is why it is better. Fill in the blank. Should you say one phrase instead of the other? }); }); Strong Special to The Star December 14, 2017 06:21 PM Express yourself with Treetopia�s chic tips and fun articles to make your lifestyle even more fabulous. window.googletag.cmd.push(function() { 'Merry Christmas' vs. 'Happy Holidays' debate warrants different approach Print Email Details Will Robertson. Should these companies, organizations, and governments have policies favoring the use of "merry Christmas" or "happy holidays." Both are about enjoying Christmas…the only difference lies in the beginning adjectives. The political correctness police will chastise you for wishing someone "Merry Christmas," and it's time we break down the ridiculous nature of this argument. It�s always a hot topic when the holidays come around, and this year is no different. I live in the Bible Belt, so saying Merry Christmas is pretty much a given : ). It’s ridiculous. However, the debate over whether to wish “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays” seems to have resurfaced again. }); hitType: 'event', Merry Christmas vs. What started as a dispute forged by religious preference became an argument of political malice. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), I specify my holidays. So why would I not say Merry Christmas haha. A 2017 Business Insider article stated that President Donald Trump had promised during his presidential campaign to free America of the generic holiday greeting, which he considers a form of political correctness gone awry, and replace it with his preferred “Merry Christmas”. eventAction: 'click_ads' Happy Holidays debate. How to Use “Merry Christmas” “Merry Christmas” is a traditional greeting used to express good tidings during the holiday season. }); However, others would point out that there are more than 14 different religious holidays going on during this month, and you never know which religion the person you are greeting ascribes to. But this is a free country. We are one of the world’s fastest growing Merry Christmas vs. Mainly because such corporate events are a … ... Open up the conversation by discussing some real life controversies related to the “Christmas” vs. “Holiday” debate. In the 17th century, the Puritans had laws forbidding the ecclesiastical celebration of Christmas, unlike the Catholic Church or the Anglican Church, the latter … Likewise, say ‘Happy Hanukkah’ to a person you know is Jewish, etc.”, He added, “However if you don’t know the spiritual tradition of a co-worker, friend, or stranger in the elevator but wish to offer them a ‘season’s greeting’ — a simple ‘Happy Holiday’ is not at all an insult or denigration of Christmas or any other tradition. I find it very amusing when people get mad at each other or argue for saying "merry christmas" instead of "happy holidays", or vice versa. "Merry Christmas" vs. "Happy Holidays": A Summary of U.S. Holiday Greetings. Happy Holidays up for debate. hitType: 'event', If anyone wants to say Happy Holidays, Merry Xmas, Happy Hannakah, Happy Winter Solstice, Happy Ramadan or whatever, it is their choice and I have no problems. If you know someone is a Christian who is celebrating Christmas you should say to them ‘Merry Christmas’. Don’t make the ‘Merry Christmas’-‘Happy holidays’ debate all about you By S.I. By Tara Benwell on December 6, 2011 Authentic Materials, Tips and Ideas. We reviewed a sampling of 300,000 tweets that included the phrase �Merry Christmas� or �Happy Holidays� and plotted out our findings on a map of the US. The library will host an SFU Philosophers' Cafe tonight at the Port Moody Public Library on the longstanding debate over which to use. Republicans and Democrats also are split with 67 percent of GOP supporters picking "Merry Christmas" and 66 percent of Democrats siding with "Happy Holidays". }); The article had cited a Public Policy Polling survey that found that more than 80% of Americans didn't care which one people said. The blog also acknowledges the other situation where someone who celebrates Christmas might also feel bad, but they reason, “Think of it this way: 'Happy Holidays' includes Christmas as one of those holidays and 'Merry Christmas' leaves out everything other than Christmas.”. ga('ads.send', { if(document.querySelector("#adunit")){ While it may seem trivial, the argument comes down to a friction that exists between those who believe in maintaining political correctness and those who believe we should stand by established traditions and religion. According to a Grammarly blog, “This debate isn’t just about words: it’s about being politically correct and inclusive of diverse beliefs and traditions across the country.” In the blog, Alice EM Underwood states that wishing “Merry Christmas” to someone who celebrates Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or nothing at all could lead them to feel left out. if(document.querySelector("#ads")){ }); ga('ads.send', { Do the people around you tend to say "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays?" }); eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), MEAWW brings you the best content from its global team of },false) Another interesting comparison would be to look at the red states (Republican) vs blue states (Democrat). ga('ads.send', { A New and Exciting Beginning . If you�re not familiar with �geotagging� it simply means that certain users have allowed their location to be recorded when they post a tweet. Here is the 2012 Presidential Election Map: While there seems to be less of a correlation, it�s interesting to note that most of the �Merry Christmas� states have been solidly Republican in the last few years. eventAction: 'load' pg.acq.push(function() { Debate about Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays: Merry Christmas or Happy holidays The public was in an uproar debating the pros and cons of the decision. What started as a dispute forged by religious preference became an argument of political malice. Regardless of your religious affiliation or lack thereof, you have more than likely heard the "Happy Holidays" vs. "Merry Christmas" debate. eventAction: 'click_adunit' Read full article. If they have religious beliefs and you can’t tell what they are, say 'Happy holidays'.”, She added, “This idea that we can only say one thing is ridiculous. For me, it isn’t about saying “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays." For example, you might say: Have a very merry Christmas and a peaceful New Year! 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